Loose-leaf visible index binder



Nov. 14, 1939. i J $HADE 2,179,756

LOOSE-LEAF VISIBLE INDEX BINDER Filed May 5, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 28 Jbmv SE/{ADE Nov. M, 1939. J. SCHADE LUOSE-LEAF VISIBLE INDEX BINDER Filed May :5, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR (756w Scuaos A TORNEYS Nov. M, 1939. J. SCHADE LOOSE-LEAF VISIBLE INDEX BINDER Filed May 5, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 M75 H Y C m5 m W m fi m m W Now. 14, 1939. J. SCHADE LOOSELEAF VISIBLE INDEX BINDER Filed May 5, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 W 2711 q; k a z INVENTOR Joy/v 627/405 %,am47z g ATTORNEYS Nov; 14, 1939. J. SCHADE LOOSE-LEAF VISIBLE INDEX BINDER Filed May 5, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR B Jam/v 62/1405 am W ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 14, 1939 Nl TED STATES LOOSE-LEAF VISIBLE INDEX BINDER John Schade, Holyoke, Mass, assignor to National Blank Book Company, Holyoke, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 5, 1937, Serial No. 120,793

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved looseleaf binder, particularly of the type used to hold. loose-leaf sheets of the visible index bookkeeping kind. In such binders the user frequently wants to shift some of the visible index sheets longitudinally of the back and there are known devices built into the binder to do this work. According to the present invention the binder is of improved construction for this purpose, particularly in regard to the mechanism to do the work of shifting the index sheets with convenience.

The character of the improvements can be understood best from a specific disclosure of the form which will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of the open binder, with the covers partly cut away to save space, with the cam plate for manipulating the binder back plates, shown in its outermost position;

Fig. 2 is a plan View similar to Fig. 1 of the open binder shown in the position where the prong-carrying plates may swing upwardly;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the prongs in the reading and writing position of the book with reference to the position of the cam plate;

Fig. 4 is a similar view with the parts in closed binder position;

Fig. 5 is a view like Fig. 1 but with the prongcarrying side plates removed to better show the underlying parts;

Fig. 6 is a View on line 6-6 of Fig. 2, but with a part removed to better show a slidable plate construction;

Fig. 7 is a view on line of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a section on line 99 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 10 is a section on line |ll||l of Fig. 2.

The back portion of the binder is made of angle plates and 2, see Figs. 8 to 10, connected for a limited transverse sliding movement. Plate i has turned-over end edge portions to overlie and guide the end edges of plate 2 as in a groove. The upstanding flange 3 on plate has its outer edge made with a series of spaced ears 3 rounded to receive a hinge pintle. The cover 6 has a hinge plate 5 with spaced ears 5 to receive the same hinge pintle, so the cover 2 is hinged to the back plate Between ears 3 there are ears 20' on the upper edge of a hinge plate 25 carrying an angle plate 2|, to which prongs 2! are attached. This plate 2| is thus hinged to the same pintle as cover 4, see Fig. 1. be seen from Fig. 10 that when the covers 4 It will and 6 are opened flat and prong carrying plates 2| are turned upwardly toward the dotted line positions, the upper ends of plates 2| will finally strike against the hinge plates 5 and 1 (against portions 5 and I seen in Fig. 1), and the latter 5 act as stops against any turning of the prong carrying plates beyond the vertical position of the prongs.

As will be seen in Fig. 9, plate 20 has a bottom ledge to hold plate 2| vertical in the horizontal 10 position of prongs 2|. Between plate 20 and flange 3 a latch plate 30 is mounted. It has slots 3| (see Fig. '7) in which ride headed pins attached to plate 3 to limit its movement. 'At each end of the back portion a bent-over finger piece 353' is provided for sliding it. When the latch is moved to the dotted position of Fig. 2, a horizontal hook piece 32 is in line with a slot opening 32 in plates 22 and 2|. This slot is shown in Fig. 7. The prong-carrying plates 29 and 2!, in the position of the latch mentioned, can be swung upwardly as in the dotted line position of Fig. 10. The plates carry a horizontal plate 33 which is normally adapted to overlie a companion plate 34 on a similar prongcarrying arrangement pivoted on the right-hand side of the binder. This arrangement is made so that when latch plate 30 is moved to the full line position of Fig. 2, its hook 32, by engaging the plates 20 and 2| as in Fig. 2, will lock plates 20 and 2|, in down position for prongs 2| to stay parallel with the back plates. And with plate 33 bearing on top of plate 3 3, the prongs on the opposite edge of the back will be similarly held down, as will appear. The one latch operable at one side of the back will serve to latch and unlatch the prong-carrying means at both sides.

The prongs 2| on the right-hand side of the book are carried by an angle plate 50, see Fig. 8, and this plate is fastened to a plate i9. The upper edge of the latter is provided with spaced ears 22 hooked over pintle pin 9 and adapted to slide back and forth on said pin. This sliding movement is for the purpose of offsetting 45 the prongs 2| on one side of the book with relation to those on the other side of the book.

Cover 6 has hinge plate I with spaced ears 1' around pintle 9. The upstanding flange 2',

of back plate 2, has spaced hooks H] along its 50 upper edge extending over pintle 9 and then down slightly below and on the outer edge of a slidable plate H. This plate is adapted to slide with hooks It as an upper guide and the space between the edge of a cam plate It, see

Fig. 10, and flange 2 of back plate 2, as a lower guide. The upper edge of plate I! is provided with notches to receive the ears 22 so that as plate II is slid back and forth on pintle 9 the prong-carrying plate 40 and its supporting plate l9, from which ears 22 extend, will also slide back and forth. The arrangement will be clear from the right-hand side of Figs. 2 and 6, particularly if it is understood that the ears 22 of Fig. 2 are engageable by the end walls of notches I! at the top of plate ll, not appearing in that figure but shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and that whenever plate H is moved on pintle 9, ears 22 are all moved with the plate.

The movable plate II has enough gear rack teeth l2 cut in its lower edge, as indicated in Fig. 5, to mesh with gear segment 53. The latter is pivoted on pin 14 extending up from back plate 2 through slot l5 of cam plate is.

Cam plate It is mounted on plate 2 to slide thereon with one edge in a groove 8 made by bending over the longitudinal edge 23 of plate 2. The other edge of plate IE is close to slidable plate ll. Rollers 25 mounted on cam plate l8 engage the edge 24 to make the cam action easier. Spaced cam slots 26 are provided in plate l6 and these slots contain headed pins 2? fastened rigidly to plate 5, the heads of 2? overlying the margins of the slots. Whenever the cam plate It is pulled way out and pushed way in, as by end handle 28, it will be seen that slots 26, by engaging pins 2?, force plate 2 to move transversely to widen the binder back and then to narrow it, respectively,the pins 2i sliding in slots 2? cut in plate 2.

In addition, at each full out and in movement of the cam plate 16, the stationary pin 29 on the cam plate engages the socket 3% of the gear segment l3 and rocks this gear to slide plate ll by reason of its meshing rack teeth, first one way and then the other, so the prongs on the right-hand side of the binder are shifted first one way and then the other longitudinally of the binder and thus ofiset with respect to the prongs on the other side. The parts are arranged so that this prong shifting movement takes place during only part of the movement of cam plate It, and during that part the binder back is spread apart to its limit and back plates I and 2 are relatively stationary. The idea is to have plates l and 2 move apart and close together transversely while prong-shifting plate ll does not move longitudinally, and to move plate ll'longitudinally while plates l and 2 are already spread out to the limit and do not move transversely. This is the preferred operation.

This preferred action is brought about by portions at of the cam slots in plate It which are located to hold plates l and 2 in spread position While pin 29 is doing its work to slide plate H in one'direction or the other. Also portions b of the cam slots are located so that they will be moving plates l and 2 transversely in one direction or the other while pin 29 is riding in engagement with straight edges on the gear segment [3 so as to hold the latter and thus plate I I and the prongs against any longitudinal movement of the book back.

When latch rod 30, with a finger piece 313 at each end, is shifted, the hook latch 32 may engage or disengage the margin of its slot. When disengaged, the hinge prong-carrying plate at the left may be swung upwardly to put on or take ofi punched sheets on that side. Plates 33 and 34 overlap and are dimensioned so that neither set of prongs can be turned upwardly unless pin 21 is in stretch a of the cam slots; otherwise these plates 33 and 34 interfere with one another or with the prongs to prevent up turning movement. For illustration consider the position of the parts in Fig. 1; if the left-hand set of prongs is pulled upwardly plate 33 is in position to strike under the prongs of the righthand set, which stops the upward movement of plate 33. But when pin 2? is in portion a of the cam, as in Fig. 2, it will be seen that plate 33 can swing from its lower position (see Fig. 16) and clear the ends of the right-hand set of prongs. Thus, the arrangement holds all the parts except when the latch is disengaged and the binder back is spread to the hand manipulating position for the prongs, which is the position of pin 2'? in portion a. of the cam slots.

Now that the mechanism has been described, the whole operation is as follows: With the book in tightly closed position, the back is laid on a table, the covers opened flat, the cam plate It pulled out until pins 21 are located at stations 53 in the cam slots. This gives the reference or writing position of the book. ihe prong sets are spread apart enough to loosen the pack of bookkeeping sheets at the back, but the prongs are relatively overlapped enough to hold all sheets in position against all displacement except easy turning from one side to another. Now, suppose that it is desired either to insert new sheets, take out old ones, or shift visible index sheets already in the binder up or down relatively to other index sheets already in the binder; then the cam plate is pulled out so pins 27 are positioned at stations 51 in the cam slots. The latter are cut so that the arrival of pins at their stations is perceptible to the feeling of the operator manipulating the cam plate handle, as by a little bump when the pins 2? arrive. With the pins at stations i, both sets of prongs can be raised to vertical position, when the latch for one set is disengaged, but not otherwise. In vertical position the sheets on each set are easy to take ofi and put on. But the more important function of the mechanism is to give an automatic shifting of visible index sheets already in the binder on the prongs and without ever taking them off the prongs.

Fig. 4 illustrates the binder parts in closed position as when the book is ready to be closed and put away. Fig. 3 illustrates the normal reference and writing position. The number of sheets that will fill the book if in Fig. 4 position will be easy to turn over from side to side in Fig. 3 position because the prongs have been moved apart enough for such easy turning. Remembering that oiTset overlapping visible index sheets are carried on the prongs, it will be clear that the sheets on the right-hand side will be moved upwardly of the book when cam plate It is pulled out to the position of Fig. l. The upwardly oiisetting movement takes place as the prongs are in the position of Fig. 2. It is not necessary to spread them apart enough to move entirely out of overlapping position, but it is desirable to have their tips spread apart enough to clear the paper sheets on opposite sides of the book and the position of Fig. 2 will do this even when the binder is carrying sheets enough to pack tightly and fill the book when in Fig. 4 position. After the prongs move between the limits represented by stretch a of cam slot 26, it is desirable to move them together into greater overlapping position at each limit and the cam stretches I) provide for this. Thus, in the positions of either Fig. 1 or Fig. 3 the punched visible index sheets may be conveniently transferred from side to side of the binder without leaving the prongs, but merely riding over from one set of prongs to the other set on opposite sides of the book. It will be readily understood by those using visible index sheet binders, that any particular sheet or set of sheets may be stepped up or down in. their arrangement in the book by manipulating cam plate l6 and by properly turning the sheets from side to side. For example, assume that the top sheet on the right of Fig. 3 position is to be moved up one hole with respect to other sheets on that side. The cam plate It is pulled out as in Fig. l, the sheet turned over on the left-hand cover and held on the left-hand set of prongs. Then cam plate It is pushed back to position of Fig. 3 and the sheet returned to the right-hand side. When it returns, it will be higher in the set because it was lifted higher and held higher on the left-hand side of the book while the righthand set of prongs returned the other sheets to their original position. The lifted sheet, when transferred to the right side, will have a lower set of holes engage the right-hand prongs than was the case before the manipulation. There are visible index binders in the prior art by which the same end result can be accomplished, so I have not illustrated in detail the movement of the sheet from one position to another. My present invention relates to the improved mechanism or means for getting the sheet lifted or lowered in a convenient manner.

Having disclosed my improved loose-leaf binding means, I claim:

1. A visible index binder including a sectional back portion, sets of oppositely disposed prongs, one set mounted at each side of the back portion, such sets being relatively movable in two directions, one direction exactly longitudinally of the binder back and one exactly transversely of the binder, a flat cam plate mounted to slide on one of the back portion sections, and mechanism operable by movement of the cam plate to move the prongs relatively transversely in a spreading direction, then longitudinally in an offset direction, and again transversely in overlapping direction when the prongs are in their changed longitudinal relation.

2. In a loose-leaf binder the combination of a U-shaped metallic frame forming the back portion, said frame being divided so as to permit sliding movement of the upstanding sides toand from each other to decrease and increase the thickness of the binder back, prong-carrying plates mounted on said sides, so as to be movable one with respect to the other longitudinally of the back portion, two sets of prongs, one carried by each plate, said sets being in opposed relation across the back portion, and mechanism combined with the parts of the back portion, including a slidable cam plate, a segmental gear and rack teeth, said mechanism being operable by sliding of the cam plate to slide the divided frame to a normal binder closed position, to a normal reading and writing position, and from the latter position through a cycle of relative prong-shifting movements in which the prongs are spread further apart in the direction of their length, shifted relatively longitudinally of the back between predetermined limits, and then at said limit shifted to replace them in the direction of their length but at a new offset relation longitudinally of the back, successive slidin movements of the cam in opposite directions exactly repeating said cycle except the direction of the prong-offsetting movement which alternates at each alternation of the direction of the cam plate sliding movement.

3. In a loose-leaf binder a U-shaped frame having upstanding legs and relatively slidable sides forming the back portion, a prong-carrying plate mounted to slide between predetermined limits against one of the legs of the frame, rack teeth provided at the bottom edge of said plate, a gear on the frame mounted to engage the rack teeth, and mechanism operable from the end of the frame to turn said gear in opposite directions to slide said plate in opposite directions, said mechanism having connections to prevent sliding the sides of said frame relatively except when said plate is at one or the other of its predetermined sliding limits.

4. In a loose-leaf binder a U-shaped frame having upstanding legs and relatively slidable sides forming the back portion, a prong-carrying plate mounted to slide between predetermined limits against one of the legs of the frame, rack teeth provided at the bottom edge of said plate, a gear on the frame mounted to engage the rack teeth, and mechanism operable from the end of the frame to turn said gear in opposite directions to slide said plate in opposite directions, said mechanism having connections to prevent sliding the sides of said frame relatively except when said plate is at one or the other of its predetermined sliding limits, in combination with connections between the sides of the back portion and the mechanism for sliding the prong-carrying plate whereby the binder back portion may be automatically widened and narrowed between predetermined limits upon continued operation of the mechanism after the sliding movement of the prong-carrying plate has stopped at either of its limits.

JOHN SCHADE. 

